Suspect arrested for drive-by shootings of lawmakers’ homes

Police in Albuquerque, N.M., arrested Solomon Peña on Monday night for allegedly shooting at several Democratic lawmakers’ homes in November and December. Police allege that Peña organized drive-by shootings of the homes of four lawmakers and personally fired shots in at least one of the shootings. No one was hurt in the shootings. Police said five people were involved in the shootings, and have arrested one other suspect besides Peña. 

What’s Peña's alleged motive? Peña is a felon who spent nine years in prison for stealing electronics and other goods from several retail stores as part of what authorities described as a burglary crew. Peña, who had just regained his own voting rights in 2021, ran for state representative last year. He lost the November election by 47 percentage points, but he said the official results were fraudulent. Police said Peña brought documents to lawmakers’ homes claiming he won the election. Neither Peña nor his lawyer has given a statement.

Dig deeper: Read Leo Briceno’s report in The Stew on members of Congress asking security questions after an attack on former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s husband.